270: Chapter 270 Purificationists and Coexistenceists

The calm and casual look on Chen Yi's face completely vanished.

It was replaced by an unprecedented gravity.

The truth that Black Rose had tossed out so nonchalantly was simply too terrifying.

Demonic beasts weren't an invasion from another world, but rather the reincarnation of native creatures after being twisted and contaminated by demonic energy?

This viewpoint almost overturned decades of mainstream understanding and every textbook definition in the Beast Tamer world!

He looked at Black Rose, who was still sitting on his lap, inches away.

Those emerald eyes lacked their usual charm or pretense, leaving only a seriousness that bordered on pity.

Chen Yi knew she wasn't joking.

At the very least, she firmly believed this was the truth.

He gently held Black Rose's waist, signaling for her to get off his lap.

Black Rose obediently stood up and sat back on a nearby rock, her hands folded over her knees.

Her stunning eyes stared quietly at Chen Yi, as if waiting for him to make a choice.

It could be said that she had practically laid her cards on the table regarding her identity and origins.

Chen Yi took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent waves in his heart, and continued asking, "If demonic beasts come about as you say! Then, the most core question arises—what exactly is this so-called demonic energy? Where does it come from? And why do Dimensional Rifts appear?"

That was the crux of the matter!

If demonic energy was the root cause of all tragedies, then without understanding it, the so-called truth would be meaningless.

Black Rose seemed to have expected Chen Yi to ask this.

She fell silent for a moment, as if organizing her words or weighing something.

Finally, she looked up at Chen Yi with a complex gaze and said slowly, "Demonic energy... is actually a type of energy, an extremely ancient primordial energy."

"Primordial energy?"

"Exactly."

Black Rose nodded. "You can understand it as... one of the most fundamental energies that make up this world, and even all worlds, an existence just like spiritual power!"

"It has no absolute attribute of good or evil itself, just like fire; it can provide warmth, or it can burn everything to ash!"

"However, starting from some unknown time, perhaps hundreds of millions of years ago, or even longer... the barriers of our world developed some—wear and tear, and loopholes."

"Through these loopholes, chaotic void energy from outside the world, as well as certain... special energies we cannot comprehend, seeped in."

"These external energies merged with the native primordial demonic energy, contaminating it."

"Ultimately... the originally relatively stable primordial demonic energy was completely contaminated and activated, turning into the aggressive, malignant demonic energy we see today."

"And what you call Dimensional Rifts are actually just weak points on the world's barriers, or rather, wounds that have been eroded and forced open by malignant demonic energy over a long period!"

Hearing this, Chen Yi's heart was also tossed by stormy waves.

Despite all his calculations, he never expected the source of everything to be like this.

Were Black Rose's words the result of being deluded, or was this the reason why the Demon Abyss Cult had always been able to recruit so many members?

"So—according to you, the so-called crisis of demonic beasts descending is actually our world itself falling ill? Dimensional Rifts are wounds, demonic energy is a virus, and demonic beasts—are the 'pus' produced after the world's immune system is killed and contaminated by toxins?"

Black Rose nodded, a flash of admiration in her eyes.

She hadn't expected him to understand so quickly and find such an apt metaphor.

"You can—understand it that way. Though not exactly the same, the essence is similar!"

"Then, what about your Demon Abyss Cult?"

Chen Yi asked the most critical question, "What role do you play in all of this?"

As soon as he said this, Black Rose was stunned for a moment.

Although these questions were blunt, she had never actually admitted to it, had she?

Could it be that Chen Yi—he had known everything all along?

Just as the thought occurred, Black Rose instantly connected all the dots.

No wonder even though she was so proactive, Chen Yi never felt like he was falling for it. Even a foreign woman who suddenly appeared could easily capture Chen Yi's heart, yet she couldn't—

Ultimately, it was because Chen Yi had seen through her true identity long ago, which was why he had been so reluctant to form a contract.

The reason he was finally willing to compromise was likely because he knew it was his last chance.

If he didn't bow his head, he would have to face sneak attacks from powerful experts from all sides—

No matter how strong Chen Yi was, it would be difficult to handle all of that!

Thinking of this, Black Rose was also shocked beyond measure!

Is Chen Yi really just a twenty-three-year-old man?

To have actually—planned so far ahead?

Everything she did was actually just a one-woman show performed right under someone else's nose?

Perhaps the reason he was bringing it up now was because he felt his goal had been achieved, or perhaps because he felt she couldn't contact her superiors or escape from this secret realm, so he took the initiative to lay his cards on the table?

Just as this thought surfaced in her mind.

The expression on Black Rose's face turned to fear, but that fear soon turned into a bitter smile.

From the look of things, Chen Yi had been waiting for her to confess, which is why he said those things, right?

She gave a long sigh, lowered her head to look at her fair hands, and her voice became very soft.

"The Demon Abyss Cult—is actually not a monolith! There have always been huge disagreements within regarding the choice of path."

"One faction, which includes Red Snake and the others you encountered before, is known as the Purification Faction or the Destruction Faction."

"They firmly believe that this world has been so deeply eroded by demonic energy that it is beyond saving!"

"They believe the only way out is to guide even more powerful demonic energy to perform a complete Great Purification, destroying all existing order and life!"

"And then, upon the ruins, establish a new world dominated by demonic beasts!"

"The other faction is known as the Coexistence Faction! We hope that we Demon Sovereigns, who possess human intelligence, can step forward and guide those demonic beasts to establish their own kingdom—"

Hearing this, Chen Yi inwardly rolled his eyes.

Coexistence?

Chen Yi's brow furrowed; hearing those two words coming from a member of the Demon Abyss Cult felt truly ironic.

"So, you are a member of the Coexistence Faction? Or rather, a Demon Sovereign?"

"Yes!"

Black Rose nodded. "Our faction believes that while demonic energy is the root of the disaster, it is still essentially a part of this world!"

"Completely destroying the existing world is no different from 'stopping eating for fear of choking'; it might even trigger even more terrifying and unpredictable consequences!"

"We believe that the true way out lies not in destruction, but in control!"

"We believe there must be some method in the world to strip away the contamination and chaotic traits of demonic energy, allowing it to return to a relatively stable primordial state, or even—transform it into a powerful energy that can be utilized!"

"And the person who masters this power will also possess the possibility of healing this world's illness!"

"Chen Yi, the reason I approached you, or rather, the reason the organization has always wanted to capture you—is because our Lady Queen noticed your uniqueness!"

"The Queen believes that you might be the key figure most likely to realize the ideal of purifying demonic energy in a thousand years!"

"They hope—to cooperate with you! They hope you can identify with our philosophy!"